The Northern Devil
by TheMaousEmpire
Summary: Tatsumi is imprisoned for attempting to kill the prince of the North. Esdeath, in her conquest, takes him as her own. Now her apprentice and her lover, Tatsumi aims to grow stronger and kill anyone in his way. For he abandoned his humanity and evolved into a foul demon. Actually, more than that. He aims to become a devil.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello all Akame ga Kill fans. I've been meaning to write a story like this for quite some time. I've read the story, read the manga, and read many of the fics on here. And I must say, all of been very interesting. The anime left me lack luster but the manga and fics have kept me going. As for why I wrote something like this, I'm giving Tatsumi a dark side, something I'm curious to see.**_

 _ **Yes, I know, protagonist are meant to show the light. But that won't really come as I'm giving Tatsumi an anti-hero type of setup. No joining Night Raid, no Incursio, none of that. This story is to show it's survival of the fittest and the strong do rule the weak.**_

 _ **Enjoy**_

Sealed and locked away.

Cold to the bone with the weather only getting worse.

Lack of warmth and food to sustain.

All the while beaten, raped, and abused.

That was the fate all prisoners of the North faced. That was the way most met their ends, shackled and frozen to death, if they didn't die of dehydration or hunger first.

The people of the North had quite the talent for torturing their prisoners. And it easily dissuaded some of the surrounding countries from rising up against the Northern Tribes. Less they wanted to suffer a similar state.

These tactics of torture and imprisonment were used against many who caused problems for the tribes. And it was the only way they kept their most dangerous prisoner contained.

Within a stone bunker, deep beneath the earth, a young man sat against the cold wall. His arms were chained above his head and his legs were tied together by thick rope. His mouth was sealed with tape and he was left to the cold around him.

His brown hair draped his eyes as he sat there, motionless against the wall. The only signs of life was the slight rise and fall of his chest. Even still, it was questionable if he was really alive?

 _'How long has it been,'_ the boy thought within the dark confines of the prison. The chains rattled as he begun to stir, his body weak and worn from the lack of sustenance. He shivered, feeling the cold grasp him.

Slowly raising his head, he showed his bright green eyes within the darkness. They were fogged, lacking life, as they stared blankly at the wall ahead of him. It was the fact they moved that showed he was living.

The boy glanced up at the ceiling. There were cracks in it and signs of mold all over it. His eyes, adjusted to seeing in the dark, could see the dead rats and large amounts of blood that stained the walls. It was obvious that this room was a cell they kept for prisoners who were to be executed.

This was more than imprisonment for the young man. It was his death sentence for what he done.

"Ah, my Lord, what are you doing here!?" A sudden shout sounded.

The brunette turned his head to the door of his cell. Albeit muffled, he was able to make out the cry of one of the guards from outside it. His shout of surprise alerted the captive of someone coming. And with the mention of a lord, the boy could probably guess who it was.

The last person he wanted to see.

"I'm here to see the prisoner. Let me through," another male voice, this one authoritative, ordered.

"But, my Lord, he attempted murder upon you," the other guard, this one female, responded.

"I understand this but I must speak with him anyways," the second voice replied. "If not, what he did will be nothing compared to our future."

The locks on the door began to creak and crack as they were slowly unlocked. The clash of iron upon iron rang in the boy's ears as they finally began to open his cell since locking him away. However long that was.

The chamber began to come undone as the final few locks were realeased. And as the slow sound of the door sliding against the stone floor filled the quiet room, light from outside began to penetrate through.

At first, the brunette had to shut his eyes. Not having seen light for quite some time put a strain on his vision and it took a few moments for it to adjust. He instinctively tried to move his hand to cover it but the rattle of chains and locked position they were held in reminded him of his predicament.

"Tatsumi...or as my men called you before you slaughtered them, the Northern Devil. How have you been," the authoritative voice spoke.

The now named Tatsumi growled lowly as he turned back to face the man he hated. Growing a bit more adjusted, the boy glared at the person in front of him, his killing intent starting to leak.

In front of him a man stood. He had long black hair and dark blue eyes, that rivaled that of his bright greens. He wore a grey suit of armor over a high-collared purple shirt. With it, a metal headpiece with the symbol of his tribe in the center, matching the ones on his chest plate and shoulder guards. The same symbol was also on his purple cape that currently draped his shoulders.

"Mm-mm," Tatsumi mumbled in return. The man laughed to himself and moved towards the boy.

"Hahaha, my apologies brat, I forgot we placed that over your mouth. Can't have you activating that Teigu can we?" He joked, his eyes carrying smug glee.

The man leaned forward and ripped the tape off in one smooth motion. Tatsumi winced from the stinging pain and grit his teeth as he stared up at the man hatefully.

"Numa Seika. I'd kill you where you stand for coming to see me..." The boy growled with killing intent leaking off him.

The older male, Numa, smirked in response. "Well it seems you aren't in any position to do that now, are you?"

"You know what happens once I break free from here," Tatsumi spat back. "I'll have your head on a silver platter, you bastard!"

Tatsumi lunged forward, in attempt to attack the man, but failed once the chains yanked him back to a sitting position. Numa merely chuckled, watching as the boy struggled against his restraints.

"It's good to see you haven't lost that fire. I'll be needing it very soon," the lord replied.

The boy stopped his struggling and looked at the man as if he'd grown a second head. Numa smirked at the look, only feeling satisfaction at such an expression.

"Me, help you!? You've lost your mind if you think I'm joining your side, coward!"

Numa grinned wildly. "Oh but you will. You see, the Empire heard of your little massacre and is now on the move to try and take me down," he explained, his tone growing very dark. "If you want your people in that backwater village safe, you'll join me in defeating them."

Tatsumi looked into his eyes, hate being the only thing the prince saw. It was obvious the brunette despised him, hated him to the core, and wanted nothing more for the man to be dead. But it was also obvious that as long as the man had the boy's village under his control, he'd have to do as he said. Otherwise risk losing all he had left.

"You're a traitor to the North! You're just as bad as the corrupt Empire! You're nothing more than filth and deserve whats coming to you," Tatsumi spat. He felt nothing but disgust towards the man in front of him. His people saw him as a hero but he was nothing more than a coward, a villain, and garbage that needed to be tossed out. No, incinerated.

"Say what you will but I know how much you care for your friends and family. You will join me or I'll have that entire village burned to the ground," Numa threatened with a sickening grin.

Tatsumi gnashed his teeth as he glared with absolute rage. His killing intent was so high the guards down the hall shivered with fear. Numa had beads of sweat form on his brow but held his ground against the boy in front of him.

"Oh, have I hit a nerve? You're a demon, you shouldn't care about anyone but yourself."

"Release me and I'll show you how much of a demon I really am," Tatsumi growled.

Numa laughed in response. "Trust me, I've seen it. The way you destroyed platoon after platoon of my soldiers, it was quite the sight. You know, they've named the front of the west gate The Bloodied Snow Fields after your little show. But be honest, do you think you'd really be able to defeat me?"

The lord had leaned forward, his smug smirk angering the brunette beyond control.

"I'm damn sure. Garbage is always that. Garbage."

Using the chains as leverage, Tatsumi pulled his legs up and kicked Numa in his chest plate as hard as he could. However, with his lack of food and the weakened state of his body, the prince was simply knocked back a few meters and planted on his butt. The boy clicked his teeth, hoping that the strike would have at least knocked him unconscious.

Numa looked shocked for a second before he bursted out into laughter. He clutched his stomach and slapped his hand on his forehead as he threw it back, continuing to cackle. "Haha, that was pretty good brat! You still have that much in you even after the restricted, torturous setting we've put you in? You truly are a demon with that kind of resolve."

"Let me go and I'll show you my resolve! I'll rip your head off and shove it up your ass!" Tatsumi shouted back, pulling against the chains again. This time, the lord watched as the chains were pulled harder, dust appearing where the nails were embedded in the wall. It was obvious that they were loosening but it would still be some time before he could break free. Of course, he'd be dead or on his side by then.

The prince stood once more and swept his hair from his face. He smiled at the boy, leaning his weight on one leg. Coming forward, careful of the boy's legs, he grabbed a handful of the brunette's locks and slammed his head against the wall.

"Listen brat, I'll make you an offer you can't refuse. Join me to defend against the Empire and I'll free your village and it's people," he said with a low tone. "Hell, I'll give them the supplies they're so desperate for and even place them under my protection. All for your chivalrous deeds of helping my nation."

The rattles of the chains ceased as the brunette momentarily stopped his attempts. His face grew a lost look as he stared at the older male with narrowed eyes and shallow breaths.

Numa grinned. "Seems that got your attention."

Tatsumi tried to reel in his emotions but it was too late. "Fuck you, traitor. I know you're nothing but lies. You should be able to defeat them easily. You're in your element, so why do you need me."

Numa sighed and for the first time tried to level with the boy. "Brat, I'm going to reason with you, if the Empire takes the North, all of us are sure as dead. Including your village," he slowly explained. "If you help me protect it, I'll be sure to return a favor and protect that boonie place you call home."

"Don't call it that..." The young man said in a low tone.

Tatsumi glared at the prince, his eyes burning with anger and rage. His killing intent continued to leak out in waves, washing over the room and through the halls.

The two men stared at each other. The killing intent surrounded the prince but he stayed strong and kept his resolve. He knew that if he didn't get the boy's allegiance, no one of the North would survive the onslaught of the powerful Empire. Tatsumi was actually a saving grace Numa was sure the gods sent. But it was a test to see if the leader could sway him to his side.

Eventually, the killer aura reseeded, and the boy began to calm down.

He clicked his teeth and swallowed his pride. All for the place he called home. "Fine, I'll do it. But the very second this is over, I'm taking your head. Know that I won't stop until you die by my hands."

The prince smirked.

"I'll keep that in mind," he replied half-hearted.

Numa then stood, releasing the boy and turning away. "The Empire should be hear any day now so I must be off to gather my troops and prepare them for war. Until then, make sure you eat and prepare yourself for battle. I don't want you weak when we go to war."

The prince paused in his steps before looking back with a look unrivaled by any leader. "The same way you were to my men, do to the Empire times ten."

"I thought you weren't scared of the Empire, _prince_ Numa," Tatsumi replied, giving his first jab at the man's pride.

Numa seemed unaffected. However, his face had darkened as he faced the door to the cell. "I'm not. It's the person leading them that has forced me to make a deal with the devil."

"Oh yeah? And who, pray tell, is this person?"

There was a long pause as the lord gripped the door handle tight. He said nothing and stood there, feeling cold for the first time in a long time. He knew, all of his troops knew, of this woman. Her skills were unrivaled and she was one hell of a sadistic general. Known as the strongest across the land, she had the prince shivering in his boots despite the fact he was born in the cold. The fact that he breathed and lived with the cold. And yet, her name made him shiver every time as if someone dumped a bucket of ice water on his naked form.

"Her name is Esdeath. And she is someone even I come to fear and respect."

"Hm. Must be quite the woman..." Tatsumi droned sarcastically. He didn't seem scared at all and it made Numa suspicious at how calm he was. Had he not heard of the woman?

"She is. She's laid waste to many that the Empire has faced. Her Teigu is not something to take lightly and she'll wipe an entire battalion within seconds. I advise that if we face her, both of us fight her, otherwise all is lost and we'll become her playthings."

"I'll keep that in mind..." The boy responded dryly. Numa ignored it, in favor of knowing the boy would cooperate. Better not to push things and just hope he and the demon were enough for her. Gods watch over them.

"Good. Until then, Devil."

-XOXOXOXOX-

Was it late at night? Early the next morning? Tatsumi didn't know. All he knew was that the day for battle was drawing near.

Since Numa had left Tatsumi's cell, things had started to change for the Teigu user. The first being that he was being fed.

Yes, the guards had begun to bring him food. Though, with his lack of hands, due to them being chained, the guards were forced to feed him themselves. And under Numa's orders, the brunette had begun to regain his strength. Not only that but he was given a blanket to cover himself at night. No longer would the cold be such a hindrance to him, as if it really was in the first place.

It seems the prince wanted the boy ready for when war was upon them. After all, it seemed that the green eyed devil was the Northern Tribes best chance at taking on the Empire. Even if they couldn't kill all of the Empire's army, forcing them to retreat would be good enough. It would solidify the North as a place no one could touch. It ensued safety to all around the large city and the villages would be safe from pillaging as well.

As Numa thought on this he almost failed to notice the screams as someone entered his throne room.

"...My Lord, my Lord!" A soldier screamed, running like a madman with his arms flailing in the air.

"Yes, what is it? Numa asked in annoyance. He hated having his thoughts interrupted.

"They have arrived..." The soldier said frantically.

"Who has arrived?" The prince asked, despite already knowing who it was.

"The Empire, sir! With the Ice Queen, Esdeath, leading them!"

Numa sighed and closed his eyes. It seemed she was as the legends said. To have reached them so fast, only those with great strength could survive the many obstacles the North provided. Bandits, danger beasts, and the cold itself, she was quite the leader to have marched her legion with such urgency. He was right to fear the general of the corrupted Empire.

Numa stood from his throne, throwing his cape off in a dramatic fashion. He stepped down the stairs, walking towards the soldier, who had yet to stand from his kneeled position.

"You have done well, soldier. But you must lend me your strength for this last task. Go to the dungeons and retrieve the Northern Devil for this war," he ordered as he walked past the fully armored man.

"S-Sir...?" The soldier squeaked in fear. The mention of the demon sent chills down his spine. After hearing what happened to his fellow men, to his brother who happened to get caught in the fight, the Northern Devil wasn't someone he wanted to meet.

Numa, on the other hand, paused for the moment. He slowly looked over his shoulder, back at the soldier. His eyes were sharper than any blade and they held no signs that would explain his request.

He merely spoke, "Did I stutter?" It wasn't even a question, it was a dare. A dare for the soldier to question him again.

The armored man stiffened and shook his head rapidly.

"Good. Now go!"

"Yes, my Lord!" the soldier said in a panic. Then with a salute he ran as quick as he could to the holding cells. At that point, Numa seemed like a demon and he was one that wasn't restrained.

The prince himself began to make his way towards the southern gate. He held his favorite spear in hand as he strode through the courtyard to where he knew his army awaited.

The spears power hummed in his hand, vibrating as it felt the impending battle to come. It thirst for bloodshed and the prince felt as it pushed for it to begin. Numa knew that once things started, he was aiming to kill everything in his path.

No mercy, no regrets. That was his motto and he planned to stay by it. The Empire wouldn't take over his country and he would make sure that his people were safe. No matter the sacrifice, nothing or no one was greater than the Northern Tribes.

As Numa finished his thoughts he walked out into the cities streets. There, he came to see his army at attention before him. They noticed their hero's arrival and saluted as he made his way towards them.

The royal guards stood in front, the remaining soldiers close behind. They were armored head to toe and their weapons were at the ready, tightly wielded in each soldiers hands. Spears, swords, shields, bow, every last man and woman was ready to put their life on the line this very day.

The prince said nothing, knowing there was no time for any kind of speech to rile his soldiers up. He simply made his way through his army, who parted for him to pass, and continued on his way to confront the approaching enemy. The very tension with the approaching war was enough motivation.

The large number of soldiers behind him were but a fraction of his full army. The remaining soldiers stood outside the walls, hastily preparing for the ensuing fight against the Empire. And yet, the lord knew that even that might not be enough as he feared just how many the Empire had at their disposal. Four hundred thousand was the number of people he swore to protect. And yet barely one-fourth of that could be called soldiers.

Numa began to feel doubts about this fight. He was going against the strongest the Empire had to offer. General Esdeath was a psychopath. A sadist who had free reign to destroy and annihilate as long as the Emperor said so. He wondered just how his army would stack up against someone who _was_ an army by _herself_. And then carried thousands more who were ready to destroy everything, as their commander would.

Then, as if by a friendly reminder...

...

...

...

 ** _BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM_**

A large explosion sounded throughout the fortified city. Dirt, snow, and smoke filled the air, reaching as high as any building surrounding the area. The clouds of dirt filled the streets, flooding throughout the area of the sudden destruction.

The guards turned, armed to the teeth for whoever caused the explosion. They speculated that the Empire had already begun the attack and were just about to scatter to begin some type of defense protocol. But, they all froze as the voice of their hero rang over all of them.

"Do not move out of formation, soldiers. It isn't the Imperial Army that has made such a grand entrance," he shouted for all of them to hear.

The soldiers turned back, curious as to who else could have such destructive power. It wasn't until Numa turned, coming face to blade with the boy standing in front of him that the army knew why. He smirked, pleased with the results, as his "partner" glared at him with the same desire to murder him as when they first met.

"Glad you could join us, demon."

Before the man, and behind the blade, Tatsumi growled with his fangs bared. With a different appearance and a much more intense aura, it was obvious the boy activated his Teigu.

Now that the prince was feeling it up close, he questioned how he had been able to capture the child in the first place. The very energy radiating around the brunette made the noble sweat, despite the harsh winds around him. Such raw power and bloodlust, Numa was sure that the demon could only get stronger from here. It was as if the demons of Hell were staring him in the face.

He had to harness this power and have the boy become loyal to him. If he did, he was sure that not even the Empire would be able to stop him. He'd be able to defeat anyone who crossed his path. And for once, world domination seemed like a plausible idea for the northern leader.

Numa could feel his confidence returning. Such power should be able to defeat the Empire's best. Especially with him by the boy's side. The war could actually be in their favor.

"Come now, brat, now's not the time to be fighting each other. Esdeath nears and we must prepare for battle."

"..."

Tatsumi stared at him, silent. His eyes were sharper than back in the cell. His bright green eyes were now shining and even more brilliant than before, almost glowing in the sunset setting. His pupils had sharpened to thin slits, giving him a more feral, reptilian look. His teeth were also sharpened, his fangs having a slight glint in the dim light. And his nails were sharpened to claws, looking as if they could easily tear through flesh and bone.

"I have to say, this Teigu is incredible. Something undiscovered for centuries and for it to be in the hands of a child," Numa thought aloud taking in all the details of the change. It made Tatsumi growl even lower and the prince waved a hand dismissively, trying to ease the child. "Nevermind the details. I'm still in awe at such a thing and am curious as to how a bite to your hand activates it. Mind explaining?"

"..."

Tatsumi only stared in response, receiving a light chuckle in response.

"Of course not. Forget it, let's just be on our way. We don't have time to waste on frivolous matters."

The brunette stayed still for a few more seconds before finally pulling the sword away from the man's throat. He stabbed it into the ground before turning and walking off towards the gate. Saying nothing, everyone cleared a path, not wanting to invoke the ire of the demon in human skin.

Numa didn't move for a moment and one of his royal guards came forward.

"Sire, are you sure it's alright to have that thing loose?" He questioned in concern.

Numa smirked at the question, chuckling at the guards confusion. Not because he thought it was funny but because it was relaxing knowing someone thought the same as him.

"It is fine. He'll learn who is the strongest. And once we kill Esdeath I'm sure he'll become a valuable asset to the tribe and prove himself worthy."

The guard was still worried for what would happen once the Northern Devil was free on the battlefield. Would he attack the enemy, would he attack them, maybe attack both sides. But he would trust in his lord and simply follow orders. So he fell back into rank as the prince and the army began their march to the front lines.

Numa, however, felt the nagging feeling that his words were just that. Words. But trying to stay confident in both himself and his people, he ignored them as he continued to the battlefield. Unknowing that he wouldn't see the sun rise the next day.

 _ **Boom. First chapter. This chapter is basically a prologue. A start to the downward spiral of good guy. It's the only thing to show Tatsumi's humanity before I shatter it. With the village being the only reason Tatsumi acts like a good boy, his world will crumble as he discovers the truth.**_

 _ **Destruction is what shall come. Darkness, danger, and all in between. Tatsumi won't be OP but will be much stronger than canon. His new Teigu is of my own creation and I shall elaborate on it in future chapters.**_

 _ **As for any type of relationship, I've always loved TatsumixEsdeath but I won't go truly overboard with it. As in Esdeath won't be head over heels, do everything for him, but will be very affectionate. And Tatsumi, despite his tragedy, will only show true emotions towards her in return.**_

 _ **As for Night Raid, the Three Beasts, Jäegers, and Wild Hunt, expect deaths. No white knighting or happy fairy tales, it's Akame Ga Kill. So I'm going to Game of Thrones it out here and probably kill some of you guys favorite characters.**_

 _ **Ciao~**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Holy shit, I'm actually updating this story. Finally aftrr so long of working on DxD stories I finally return to something a little more dark. And now that my vision is clear, its gonna get hella darker.**

 **So I'll save time and put all my ramblings at the bottom so you can read this fuckfest of a return chapter. Enjoy**

"Heh, this should be a walk in the park."

"Yeah, it's the North. A bunch of ragtag bandits who built a supposed fortress against a cliff."

"Haha, fucking idiots. We'll destroy them and claim everything. Maybe a beautiful woman or some riches..."

 **SHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

"Huh? What's that?"

The soldiers of the Empire looked up to the sky. There, an orange orb could be seen, high in the sky. It shone brilliantly, lighting up the land to show the massive fortress of the North not too far ahead. No one could take their eyes off of the ball though as it glowed dazzlingly in the night sky. It was beautiful to some.

...Then it began to grow bigger...

"...Ano, is it me or...is that thing getting closer?"

The soldier's worries fell upon deaf ears. It wasn't until the orb grew twice its size that the platoon he was in noticed what he said. Then...

"SPREAD OUT!"

It was too late however as the large orb slammed into the ground, crushing two soldiers beneath it. Anyone within direct vicinity was lit on fire by the orb as it splattered a dark liquid and, with it, the flames.

Cries filled the air as the men began to roll in agony and pain. Not even the snow could extinguish the fire as the men tried burying themselves within it. The soldiers surrounding could only watch, none making a move as many were too afraid that they would ignite if they came into contact with it. They couldn't even fully process what happened before.

"MORE MORTARS!"

Every soldier heard the words clearly this time. Their eyes shot to the sky to see another bright orange orb. Only this time, two more flanked both its sides. They shot over the army this time, sighs of relief sounding off. But they were quickly sileneced as they noticed the balls of fire landing behind the massive army, a ring of fire forming behind them, cutting off any form of an exit.  
Then, three more balls took to the sky, these aimed directly for the heart of the army.

The soldiers began to panic as they realized they had fallen into a trap. They quickly began to run in separate directions, desperate to get away from the impending doom that was looming above them. And the closer they grew, the less likely it seemed that they would survive.

 **DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNN**

Just as the orbs were about to hit, a large wall of ice took shape in front of the army.

 **BOOM! SLAM! CRACK!**

All three struck the defensive barrier. All the soldiers were stiff as a board and cowered in fear. It wasn't until they heard the sounds of ice cracking that they turned back. The wall held as the orbs crashed into it and bounced off, but not before leaving deep cracks in the structure. And what was worse, the flames stuck to the frozen water, and were still unable to be snuffed out.

"Reform your formations soldiers! This is no time to relax!" A voice spoke up from behind.

Every soldier jumped to attention, their focus broke back to reality. Shivers, more violent than any the cold would cause, shot up their spines as they gripped their weapons and shields with iron fists. None turned as the felt the eyes of a demon on the back of their heads. Not a single soldier wanted to come face to face with their leader.

Behind them, a tall and buxom woman stood in command. She had long flowing blue hair with matching ice blue eyes and porcelain white skin. She wore a white General's apparel with long sleeves, buttons on the upper arms, a blue scarf around her neck, and high-heeled boots. Her jacket was left with a few buttons undone, revealing her fairly large breasts and a small black tattoo on her bossom.

She tapped her foot and three large pillars of ice flew from the ground. They flew at alarming speeds into the area where the fortress could originally be seen.

 **CCCRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKK**

The sound of wood breaking could be heard and it was obvious that the catapults that launched the orbs of fire had been destroyed. The woman then unsheathed her rapier and held it out, pointing towards the darkness ahead.

"Now charge men! Kill the weak and bring me Prince Numa!"

 _ **RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH**_!

The war cry of soldiers boomed across the field, the army immediately invigorated by their General's words. Everyone charged forward, hellbent on deatroying that which stood ahead of them.

 _ **RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH**_

An equally powerful war cry met the Empire soldiers from the darkness. From the distance, hundreds of thousands of fires were lit. The fortress was then lit ablaze by large cauldrons of fire that sat atop the four corners of the structure.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers raced from the fortified city, weapons raised. The fire line had spread further and formed a ring around the entire cliffside, blocking anu way out for the Empire. Opposite of that, the Northern army was the only thing standing between their enemies and the city behind them.

Prince Numa had made a massive gamble with locking both armies into such a small battlefield. His first attack to eliminate a lot of soldiers had failed so now he had to depend on the might of his soldiers, in hope that thw home field advantage would play into his favor. His army was born and trained in the extreme cold weather, so he had faith that their training would prove fruitful in the coming slaughter. It was an all or nothing battle and his gamble was that his soldiers would tear through the Empire's scattered numbers. Of course, that woman leading them was a strong commander and he wondered how she would fair with the odds against her.

Esdeath could be seen, smiling from atop her army. The look of bloodlust was in her eyes. She could see that there was no turning back and that the enemy had left her in a kill or be killed situation. She was confident in her victory but the decision that the prince made, an assumed gambit of some sort, made her insides warm as she could commend such a choice. She would be sure to face this man himself and give him a death befitting of warrior.

Everyone would die before the sun began to rise, that she would make sure of. But before she finished such a conquest, the "Hero of the North" would submit to her. She would make sure he knew who the strongest was.

Numa, on the other end of the battlefield, sat upon the wall of his city. He looked over as each side grew closer and closer. A bloodbath was imminent and that wall had only made his battlefield smaller.

Curse that woman...

The leader looked to his side to see Tatsumi shaking. The boy was antsy, obviously wanting to let all of that pent up aggression out. The prince wanted to hold him longer but that seemed almost impossible. Another minute and the boy would go off on his own. He was unstable from the start but that teigu seemed to possess some sort of animalistic quality that begged for blood.

So, with heavy resignation, he looked to him. "Go."

 **PMMPPHH!**

And like that, the brunette was gone. Numa could only hope he would only kill the Empire's soldiers. Last thing he needed was more deaths coming from his own soldiers than Esdeath's.

He sighed and turned back to the two sides. A few more seconds and they would meet.

Neither side slowed down.

Neither side wavered.

Neither side looked back.

They were only looking to win. And victory was inevitable for one. The only thought on the Prince's mind was which side would emerge victorious. The General, however, knew who would come out victorious, and her grin only grew more sadistic.

-XOXOXOXOX-

 **BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM**

 **DOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**

It was a massacre. But it wasn't in favor of the Northern Tribes, at all. Prince Numa's men were cut down viciously and with no openings to return damage to the enemy.

Eventually he was forced to joined the fray and he killed as many as he could. He carved through man after man. Fought squad after squad. Destroyed platoon after platoon. But it wasn't enough.

The soldiers around him continued to fall and his forces grew weaker and weaker with each pain felt scream, grunt, and welch. All while he could do nothing to save them, trying to make sure he wasn't overrun by the large army before him.

Two soldiers charged at him, swords raised above their heads. He swiftly blocked the attacks with the pole of his spear before swinging as hard as he could to not only disarm them, but also severe their heads clean from their bodies.

The snow was painted red even worse than what Tatsumi did. More of his soldiers were now in pieces than ever before and his plans of invading the Capital seemed more like a child's dream now. He had underestimated the soldiers themselves, only focusing on the General leading them. He expected her to have entered the fray and possibly take out some of her men through her known acts of destruction. And yet, he hadn't seen her or any of her ice abilities. So where...

"Hm, you've done well 'Hero of the North'," a lone voice spoke.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to the source of the call. There, Esdeath could be seen coming forward, swagger in her steps as she walked towards the fellow leader. A smile was on her face, one filled with satisfaction as she surveyed the carnage her men had caused. While she wanted a real fight, utter domination was also acceptable. The weak would die and the strong would continue to dominate. And she was very happy that her soldiers upheld that standard whilst under her imperial banner.

"Esdeath Partas..." Numa responded with disdain. It only made the woman's smile widen.

"Oh come now, you fought brilliantly. Your men were just weak, and the weak always fall to the strong," she replied, crossing her arms.

"You were a former native of the North! Why betray your own people? For the Empire!?" He asked heatedly, raising his spear.

"Hm? How could I? Because the Empire is strong and I wanted to be strong," she replied as if it was common sense. "My people were killed because they were weak. So I went to the Empire because their people were strong. So, I became strong. And now, it is my job to kill the weak."

"You desecrate the land and kill the people who you deem weak? Because its 'your job'? You're a monster..." Numa growled.

"Ahh~, why aren't you the charmer. So it is true that you have such a way with words~," Esdeath gushed with a sinister smile. "But you're not my type, so you won't get very far."

"Enough with your games, bitch!" His anger made the woman's smile disappear as she took a more serious expression. "You'd kill your own people. The ones who live upon the same grounds you once shared!?"

"Hmm, strong words coming from someone like yourself, Prince."

There was a silence that followed. Both sides stared at each other, the heat between their eyes growing. A tense atmosphere surrounded the area as the two leaders stared each other down. The soldiers around the two began to sweat, despite the fierce cold, as they felt the aura of two giants coming face to face.

"AAAAHHHHHHH!" A lone scream broke the heaviness and everyone turned to the source.

A soldier had been lifted off the ground, blood flooding from his mouth as he twitched violently. It didn't take a second to realize why as everyone could see a hand shoved through his chest, a beating heart in its grip.

"Someone...hel-." He was unable to finish his sentence before finally succumbing to death, falling limp. His heart gave two more thumps before it too stop moving.

The hand then crushed the heart before lowering down and dropping the dead body off of it. From behind the soldier, Tatsumi dropped the heart on top of the man's body before stepping over and into the circle of soldiers. He stood between Esdeath and Numa, looking much calmer than before the battle had commenced. It seemed he had gotten a lot of his anger out.

The brunette was covered from head to toe in splatters of blood. It was obvious that none of it was his own as he hadn't a single injury anywhere across his body. It was scary to those around the trio but the two in the middle now had their attention on the newest arrival who seemed unaware of the intense field the two had created previously.

"Tatsumi, you've failed!" The Prince screamed angrily.

The boy leveled a glare, still trying to wipe the blood of his hands. "Shut it. You disgrace of a leader. Thanks to your idiocracy and ego, your people are dead."

Numa's anger flared. "What did you say!? I should take your head now!"

"Mm, as if you could. Your soldiers are dead and I am actually back to full power thanks to you. Now, I could kill you where you stand."

"After all I've done for you? You now talk of insubordination!?"

Tatsumi narrowed his eyes and flexed his claws. An eerie glow formed in his eyes and a wave of power washed over the leaders and the imperial soldiers. The boy bared his fangs as he growled in a low tone.

"I was never yours to begin with. I told you, the moment this was over I'd kill you. The only thing stopping me is your promise to protect my village. And the more I look around, the less likely that is."

It was at that moment, the General decided to step in. She was curious of the boy and that look in his eyes.

"Village? Young man, what village do you speak of?" She asked.

His entrance was quite the surprise seeing as she hasn't sensed him till a few seconds ago. He had just killed one of her soldiers and, for half a second, she considered returning the favor. But something held her from doing so, the General more in favor of observing the scene than immediately interfering. Then, with the way he spoke to Numa, the boy didn't fit as a soldier of his army. In fact, he seemed to have no real allegiance towards the leader at all. It was a deep disdain than anything else.

She had noticed Tatsumi throughout the battle, killing hers and Numa's men. He was a child with a Teigu, so she knew he was strong but assumed he would fall at some point. Of course, now he was standing before both leaders and was radiating a power Esdeath had been unable to sense before.

The Teigu within him held this level of power she hadn't felt in anyone other than herself. And it interested her rather than threatened. He wasn't as strong as her but had the potential if she could understand that power a bit better.

The brunette turned his gaze towards the General after her question. Their eyes locked and a sudden spark shot through their bodies. They tensed just a bit, unprepared for the electrical current that raced through their bodies. Neither knew what it was but they could feel some type of force between each other from that point. It wasn't negative at all and, in fact, almost felt like a gravitational pull.

Curiouser and curiouser.

"So you're Esdeath..." Tatsumi said, breaking the silence.

"Mm, that is correct. What is your name?" The young woman answered and asked in return.

"Tatsumi."

"'Tatsumi'..." She repeated, testing the word. It was such a foreign name, even to the North. She liked it.

 ***Thump***

 ***Thump***

Once she spoke his name, both of their hearts thumped simultaneously. A light dust of pink colored their cheeks for reasons neither knew. It was hard for both to separate their gaze from the other.

"Yes... My village was one under the Bull God, Minoan."

Esdeath rose a brow after regaining the bit of composure she lost. Finally able to control herself, she turned to Prince Numa, who had been surprisingly quiet and patient during the two's exchange.

Once he noticed her gaze return to him, he could see that she knew something and his eyes widened. The way she reacted after the boy spoke of his village, Numa knew of what would come next. His grip on his spear tightened to a deadly grip as he felt himself powerless to do anything.

Surrounded by the enemy and face to face with the Empire's Strongest, he had been backed deep into a corner.

Esdeath herself could see the panic in the hero's eyes. She could feel pleasure from how he began to cower under the situation. He knew what was coming and the woman couldn't help but take sadistic satisfaction at the fact she would put the icing on the cake.

"Tell me, Tatsumi. What was the state of your village before you left?" She asked, glancing over at the boy.

He growled and shot a quick glare at Numa. The prince panicked further as his fear was correct. "It was in poverty. My people were barely scraping by with little food and supplies left."

"Mm, I see. Well I can assure you that isn't the case any more," Esdeath informed with nonchalance. She glanced back at Numa, her eyes glimmering in sheer joy at what was to come next.

The boy narrowed his eyes and looked at the northern leader once more. Had he done something to his village? Had he possibly started helping them and providing them with necessary supplies?

Such optimistic thinking in such a scenario.

"...It is because the people of that village are dead."

 **Crack!**

Eh... Tatsumi thought he heard something break. It sounded like glass. But there was no glass around. Wait, why was he starting to see red?

"T-They are d-d-d-dead?" He asked to no one in particular.

"Yes. Murdered by what looked to be soldiers of Prince Numa's army," Esdeath answered with monotone. To her fellow leader, though, it was mockingly. She wanted to see him squirm and he gave her exactly what she wanted.

 _ **Crrraaacccckkkkkk!**_

Ah...the glass shattered even more. Now it sounded like it was just tiny fragments. There was still no glass around. And he was seeing more red to the point he almost couldn't see anything but. He also was breathing very hard and his body was growing hot.

"Why...?" He muttered out to himself.

 **OOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM**

Everyone around him heard it as growl.

Not only that but they could feel as the pressure around them started to become heavy. Waves of dark energy began to radiate around the boy, forming in what looked to be a black hue. The army and Numa became very wary of the brunette before them.

Esdeath, on the other hand, gained a sinister grin from the change of events. This power, it was intoxicating to her. Feeling it wash over, it was very similar to the Demons Extract when she first gained her Teigu. Such malice, such anger, such animosity, it reminded her much of herself when she was the boys age.

"Yes, why, Prince Numa?" The General asked, switching the entire army's focus to the man in question.

"...A-..." He could barely formulate a sound under the pressure of the boy. He hadn't felt such a dark and foreboding aura before. He could feel the cold hand of Death on his shoulder. His spear became heavy in his hands and his whole body began to feel weighed down by an invisible force.

Was this the power of a demon?

"I-"

 **SSHHHCCCCKKKKKK**

Not another word left the Prince's mouth. The army froze at the sheer speed the event happened. Esdeath merely smiled at the sight.

Tatsumi stood up straight and threw his arm to the side, catching an object in his hand. He pulled it in front of him before a bright flame engulfed his hand and the think within it. It was quickly reduced to cinders and taken by the cold winds.

The boy glanced over his shoulder, watching as the body of Prince Numa fell to the ground with a thud. Blood pooled from his neck, only adding to the already stained snow surrounding them.

It was then noted that the boy had severed the Northern Hero's head completely from his body before burning it to nothing but ash. The body itself was left, possibly as a sign that the Prince had lived and died the same. To Tatsumi, the dead leader would live and die as scum. No, far worse than scum.

 **CRACK!**

Ah, the glass was breaking again...

 **Okay. Who knows where the fuck to begin. Sooo, let's start somewhere.**

 **First, what took me so long. Ehhhh, no excuse. Super procrastination mixed with life's bullshit. Other than that, I have been writing for one of my bigger stories after a year hiatus there and have been pounding out the pages for that.**

 **Second, where I'm going with this story. This will be a unique story that I haven't seen for AGK. Usually Tatsumi is a rebel or against Esdeath in every way because protagonist. Well...I want to create a Tatsumi with little to no ttraces of humanity left. An AGK where everyone will lose, so to speak.**

 **Third, harem? No, there won't be a harem. Everyones losing so there is no need to create a lot of love interests for them to die off. Its obvious who the baddest bitch will be.**

 **Fourth, discord. I do have one. Link will be below this sentence.**

 **Discord:** discord. gg/ 5CaeF5F

 **Fifth, next update. I have no fucking clue.**

 **Sixth... No I think that's it. Review if you want me back sooner. Chapters will get better now that we are reaching the good stuff. Prequel is officially over so now I can actually unleash my full potential. Hahahahaha**

 **Anywho, laters~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright back with the next chapter. I thank everyone who gives this a read, I love creating stuff for you guys. Always trying to find that one uniqueness that can create a whole new story for you guys. Try to give you something fresh, you know?**

 **As for a few tidbits that I want to clarify, just in general on how the story will go.**

 **For now its just getting Tatsumi to the Empire. Which is probably next chapter depending on how the next scenes flow on paper. As for the gore,Tatsumi hasn't reached the bottom of the pit yet though it will get there with time. His relationship with Esdeath will be strong from beginning to end, as she'll eventually be his only form a stability in this fucked up world. And as for his demon form, it will get darker as he does, so patience is key.**

 **Thanks for taking the time to read this. And enjoy.**

"N-Nnnh..."

Tatsumi awoke with a stir. He slowly opened his eyes, feeling the bright sun on his face. How long had it been since he had been awakened by the large orb of light. After being a prisoner for so long, he both hated and loved it for disturbing his rest. Hating it because the time in which he went without it, loving it for the same simple reason.

The brunette slowly rose, the blanket covering him falling down as he did so. His eyes widened and he quickly looked around at his surroundings. There was a desk with a chair, a few books on top, and flaps to the opening of a tent. He was greatly confused on how he got there and with confusion came hostility.

Tatsumi tried to remember what happened and how he had gotten there. The last thing he remembered was the revelation of his village being wiped out by Numa's army. Then all he could see was red and all he could hear was the shattering of glass. He didn't know why and afterwards he blacked out.

Looking down at his hands, resting in his lap, all he could think of was his village. They were poor, starving, weak, and they were relying on him. He wanted to start a revolution and overthrow the tyrant that was Prince Numa.

Those on the outskirts of his territory were ignored and left to fight amongst themselves for the tiny scraps that were left behind. He never cared, he never even once came to any of the villages or made any moves to help those he was supposed to call his people. All he did was sit on his throne, build up those who kissed his ass, and try and start a war with the Empire. All with no concern for who was caught in the crossfire.

Tatsumi wanted to change that. He wanted to build up his revolutionary army and take the capital of the tribes. To free his people so that all may be able to survive the harsh cold together. But no one took his side. The villages were either loyal to the prince or too weak to fight. Even Tatsumi himself suffered from hunger and cold, leaving him in such a weak state that he barely scratched the surface of the prince's soldiers. And so, he was captured and imprisoned.

Unbeknownst to him, some time during that imprisonment, his people were killed. Was it revenge for what he did? Or had they already been dead before he even attempted his attack? He would never know as he murdered the man who brought so much strife to his friends and family. At least, maybe now they could rest in peace.

But what was he to do now? He had no one. No friends. No family. No long distant relatives or anything like that. All that was left was himself, and with time passing by he wondered what there was left for him to do.

The North was under Empire control now. His objective had been complete. And the ones he was fighting for were nothing but feed for the Earth. What more did he have to live for?

 ** _Flap!_**

"Ah, you're awake."

Tatsumi heard the flap to his tent open and looked up to see a familiar face. Her unique blue hair and pale skin was hard to forget. Her beauty and power only added to her exotic allure and he couldn't help but feel small under her stronger gaze. Power recognized power and Tatsumi knew this woman was far out of his league.

"You're Esdeath, aren't you?" He asked, forcing himself to keep eye contact with her. He wouldn't display weakness in front of the supposed enemy.

"That is correct. You're Tatsumi if I remember correctly?"

 _ **Thump!**_

 _ **Thump!**_

There it was again. Both their hearts jumped at them speaking each others names. It was stronger this time and it warmed them up inside. Cheeks were dusted a light pink and the pull between them felt a little stronger. Was this because they held eye contact at a closer proximity?

"Y-Yes, I am," he replied to break the silence. The general nodded her head.

"Well, I should say you're lucky," she replied, folding her arms and shifting her weight to one leg.

"Please excuse my ignorance, but would you mind explaining the situation?"

"Hm, you're well spoken for someone of the Empire's outskirts," Esdeath commented. It brought a sad smile to the boy's face.

"I had been taught by an old soldier of the Empire. He was also the one who taught me how to fight."

"I see, so that explains how you were able to kill so many of my men," Esdeath mused, narrowing her eyes.

"Ah, my apologies. I wouldn't have even been in that battle if it wasn't for Numa and his lies," Tatsumi seethed, his hands clenched into fists. "If only I had known, I would have..."

Esdeath rose a hand, silencing him then and there. "No need to apologize. Those who died were weak and the world has no use for them."

"..."

"..."

"That's an interesting saying," Tatsumi said.

"My father use to tell me it all the time. I hold it in high regard to this day," she replied smoothly.

"I see."

Another period of silence followed. Both sat there, looking at each other. Gauging each other. Their eyes roamed one another's bodies and both found themselves liking what they saw.

Tatsumi could see the sexy curves of the Empire's Strongest. Her large bust, her slim waist, her wide hips, her long slender legs, he could see it all through the tight uniform. And he liked what he saw.

Esdeath had it much easier as the boy was undressed while lying in bed. He was a little slim, from what looks like starvation, but he was gaining weight back. He had lean muscles that looked to have been trained over the years. His chest was wide and his six packs looked like bricks of iron. If he puts on a little more mass, he would become a force to be reckoned with.

Then her eyes fell lower. Unfortunately for her, the blanket did its job of covering what she really wanted to see. But oh well, maybe another time. She liked what she saw so far and he fit the description of what she was looking for in a lover. Almost. There was still that one unchecked mark she had yet to see. And due to what he must have been through, it may never be completed.

"Ah, you spoke of the recent battle, yes?" Esdeath spoke, pulling each other from their staring contest.

"Yes, that's right. The last thing I remember was hearing about my village from you. Then, the rest was a haze," Tatsumi replied, rubbing the side of his head.

The blunette smiled a feral grin. "Well, I want to say you killed the prince, first and foremost. I wanted to break him, see him squirm from every bit of torture I could, and turn him into a toy that would lick the ground I walked upon. But seeing such a swift act of vengeance, without a single shred of hesitation. I felt the result was better."

Tatsumi stared at her with an unreadable look. As she spoke of her plan he noticed how she seemed to find satisfaction in torture. The way her cheeks reddened and her eyes lit up with joy, she found a thrill in others suffrage. He didn't know how to feel about it, but he was disgusted. Far from it, oddly enough.

"Mm, so in the end I did take his life," he said with a low tone. "I feel torture and slavery would have been better for garbage like him, however."

"Sometimes your instinct forces you to act against your mind. It is probably why you blacked out," Esdeath stated, shifting her weight to the other leg. "You wanted to enact your revenge for what he did to your people but your body moved first and killed him immediately."

"Is that what it was..?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"My village. Did they...suffer?" He asked in an almost inaudible whisper.

"I am unsure. When my men arrived there was nothing but bones piled in the streets."

 _ **Crack!**_

The glass again...

"So they weren't even properly buried..." His fists tightened once more.

"No, they were not."

Tatsumi grit his teeth and clenched his fist. It was his fault they died. He wasn't strong enough and his pride brought their downfall. Whether they died because of him or not, he was supposed to provide for them. But his selfishness led to his imprisonment and the, aforementioned, death of his village.

 _ **Crack!**_

It was breaking again... It was all because of him. It was his fault.

"It was inevitable. They were going to die either way. Do not blame yourself," Esdeath spoke up.

The boy looked up to see the general had come closer. She had a firm look in her eyes as she looked down on him.

"But...I left them for dead. I should have-"

"There was nothing you could do. You were weak and so were they. Numa would probably have killed you too if you had stayed there with them. At least you lived, you grew strong, and you were able to avenge those who had fallen."

Tatsumi looked at her, staring for a long period of time. Her words soaked into him but he still found it difficult to truly hear what she was telling him. So he just kept staring, trying to find some sense of what she was saying.

"Get up. We're leaving here in ten minutes," she spoke, growing tired of the silence.

"Eh? Where are we going?" Tatsumi asked.

"Danger Beast hunting," she answered.

"Hah...?"

-XOXOXOXOX-

Esdeath and Tatsumi found themselves deep within a forest. Apparently, during his unconscious state, Esdeath had moved her and what little of her army she decided to take back through the remnants of the North at speeds almost inhumane. The fact being that there wasn't a lot of snow around and what little there didn't seem affected by the warmer weather at all.

In other words, it was the perfect place for certain Danger Beasts to horde.

"Why did you bring me out here?" Tatsumi asked as the general surveyed the area.

"There is a lot on your mind. I can smell the amount of stress on you and it's a bad scent," Esdeath replied, not sparing him a glance.

"So what is Danger Beast hunting going to do?" He asked in return.

The blunette stopped her search momentarily and looked back. She gave him her signature grin and her eyes twinkled the same way before the battle.

"You'll see..." She answered cryptically. Then she turned and ran off, leaving Tatsumi in a state of confusion.

The boy stood there, unsure of what she meant by that. He still had that gnawing feeling at the back of his head, blaming himself.

 ** _Crack!_**

His village was destroyed.

 _ **Craaack!**_

His family and friends were now dead.

 _ **Craaaaaack!**_

And all because of him.

 **RAAAAAAAH!**

That...that wasn't the glass.

Tatsumi looked up and regained focus. Not too far into the distant he could see trees toppling over. But it wasn't one at a time, it looked to have been the entire tree line being pummeled by whatever had made that loud sound.

It wasn't long before whatever it was came into view. Large beasts, easily the size of an average carriage, were charging towards him. Their fur was snow white and their eyes were blood red. They had long, sharp fangs and massive muscles that rippled with every thunderous step they took.

"Northern apeman? What the hell are they doing this far to the south..?" Tatsumi asked aloud.

"Mm, all of our marching and conquering of the North must have forced them out of their home," another voice spoke up. The boy turned to see Esdeath back by his side, that same grin on her face. "They were already very hostile but a little push and they're ready to tear anything apart. Don't die, alright?"

With that, she disappeared in a flash. Tatsumi looked at where she was and then turned back to the Danger Beasts. He sighed and rose his hand to his mouth. He closed his eyes as he took slow breaths. In and out, in and out.

Clear his mind. Esdeath had spoken to him with intent to help him cope with his guilt. As odd as it was, he wasn't going to turn back now while she was watching. He had too much pride and his instinct wanted him to prove his strength to the woman. He wasn't about to tuck his tail and hide.

 _ **Chomp!**_

He bit down on his hand. A sharp wind surrounded the boy before dispersing out in a massive area of effect. The first line of apemen were ripped to shreds upon contact with the force, momentarily bringing the others to a full stop. They looked at where their brothers and sisters had just be torn, seeing the pool of blood and floating chunks. They looked back at Tatsumi, who was now morphed into his Teigu's form.

 _ **Pmph!**_

Tatsumi wasted no time. He had moved with such a speed that the apemen couldn't follow. It was only when they heard the pain filled screams of another of their kind. They all turned to see the human standing on the beast, his hand holding a tight grip on the beast's face. Then he lit his palm on fire, burning its face in the process.

Its cries continued for a few moments longer. But it wasn't too long before it fell backwards, the front of its face burned beyond recognition. Charred pieces of skin fell and its hair fell off like ash.

"Hm, what do you know... This does make me feel a little better."

 **RAAAAAHHHHHHH**

The other apemen finally responded, all equally enraged by the brunette before them. They charged him but his grin widened and he jumped into the crowd without hesitation.

As he began his annihilation of the tribe, Esdeath watched from a tree branch not too far away. In her hand, she held a book. In the other, she twirled her pencil.

The general had watched the transformation. Such a thing was incredible to witness and she could understand why Numa had been so keen on keeping him under wraps. His Teigu was much like her own. It housed amazing powers, that which had been bonded to him, most likely through his blood. Esdeath had drunk the essence of a demon that gave her control over ice. Tatsumi, whatever Teigu it was, inherited such a demonic look and had control over fire. And he was well adverse in using it.

The boy had landed a blow to one of the beast's chests. It stumbled but didn't fall. He smirked before firing a blast of fire through the ape's chest. It fell backwards immediately, the sizzling hole revealing its heart had been reduced to nothing.

The blunette had to admit, the boy was gifted with a talent for battle. He had barely broken a sweat and he's movements showed he was trained very well. He still had many flaws but it was common. With time she could reform him into an amazing soldier and they could wreak havoc everywhere they went.

Fire and ice. What an interesting combination. Looking down at her book once more, her eyes widened slightly. She hadn't noticed she had started drawing, too preoccupied with her own thoughts. What surprised her even more was that she had drawn a heart made of ice. And surrounding that heart was a strong flame. The ice was melting nor was the flame being extinguished. In fact, if she had to take a guess, the ice was actually keeping the flame from burning itself out and the fire was keeping the ice from fracturing and shattering.

The general couldn't really understand it. Her eyebrows were knit as she thought on it, curious as to why she had drawn such a thing. Especially with her lack of consciousness towards it until she actually looked down. Curiouser and curiouser.

Esdeath looked back up to see her newest interest's progress. Tatsumi had just finished off the final apeman, wiping his brow with the back of his hand, the other on his hip. She leapt down from the tree, landing gracefully on her feet. She closed her book and packed it away before making her way over to the brunette.

He still had his back to her, surveying his work. The brunette had felt a lot of weight leave his shoulders during the fight. Well, it was more of a massacre. But still, his adrenaline had been pumping and his excitement for the fight fueled him.

"You don't smell of stress anymore," Esdeath spoke up.

He looked over his shoulder to see the general with a satisfied smirk. It seemed she enjoyed the show.

"I have to admit, I was skeptical at first. But after the first kill I understood what you meant," he replied. Her smirk widened to a grin.

"I had assumed you and I had a lot of similarities, Tatsumi. This battle only furthered that assumption," the blunette said. "You and I both lost our villages due to a stronger force in the North. We sought revenge and took it. Now we wander this world, trying to find purpose once more."

"But you work for the Empire. Doesn't that serve as a purpose?" Tatsumi asked with knitted brows.

"In normal circumstances, it would. For me, it is more of a mutual benefit between the Empire and myself." One lone brow rose and the general explained further. "My army and I provide the protection for the Empire while the Empire allows me to satiate my bloodlust."

"...That just sounds like purpose with extra steps," Tatsumi said.

"Mm, well to me I don't feel that such a thing is my purpose."

"Then what would you say that it is?"

Esdeath paused for a moment. She rose a fist over her mouth and thought about it. She seemed unsure, a rare sight for anyone. It was very uncommon for her to be stumped on something.

"I...couldn't tell you. My current goal, to be honest, is to try my hand at love," she answered, glancing over at him.

"Love?" Tatsumi asked with moderate confusion. Of all things, the wasn't something he expected of the Empire's strongest.

 _ **Thump!**_

 _ **Thump!**_

The invisible force was pulling at their heartstrings again. Their eyes made contact and they felt the warm feeling once more. Was it their instincts that made them feel this way just from looking at each other? Or could it be something more?

"Yes, well, I do believe we've accomplished what we set out to do," Esdeath replied, salvaging the little composure between them.

"You're correct. We'll be returning to the camp, I assume?"

"The soldiers should have it broken down and be ready to travel by now," Esdeath answered, receiving a nod of approval.

The two began to make their way back. The corpses behind them would attract scavenging Danger Beasts to clean up the mess, so they had little to worry about. Tatsumi had a clear mind and felt much more relaxed after his little exercise. And Esdeath, she had found a very interesting connection with the young brunette behind him. He gave her an unfamiliar feeling every time their eyes met and he was the closest person to what she looked for in a lover. He was almost perfect.

"Oh, and Esdeath..." Tatsumi spoke up.

"Hm?" She turned back and her eyes widened in surprise.

There, the boy stood, a big smile on his face. But it wasn't the same as before. It was genuine happiness. Genuine purity and innocence on his face as he faced her. All of this coming from a boy who had seen so much. How could he make such a face?

"Thanks for your concern. I feel a lot better because of you," he replied, happily.

 ** _THUMP!_**

The smile was blinding and filled with such kindness. Her heart had beat harder than ever before and the warm feeling inside came back tenfold. Now, he met every criteria. Every last one of her requirements he met to the for. Tatsumi was the one. He...he...

He was perfect.

 **Uhhh, yeah. Chapters over. Leaves off with Esdeath finding Tatsumi to be her one. And subtle hints that Tatsumi is interested in her as well.**

 **I don't have a lot to say here. So review and what not. And look forward to the upcoming canon time.**

 **Ciao~**


	4. Chapter 4

**Alright. Back with this.**

 **Before we start, I had a little trouble with the chapter. Simple because the direction I want to go in created some scenarios that don't fit the personalities of the characters. Simply put, if any one seems OOC know its only for the chapter to build to bigger things down the line.**

 **Any other ANs are at the bottom. For now, enjoy.**

 _ **Shoom!**_

Tatsumi dodged another flying axe attack. This time, when he saw it coming back, he ran straight towards his opponent. It was exactly what his enemy wanted, a grin splitting across the bigger man's face.

He prepared his axe as Tatsumi grew closer. He couldn't help the excitement building in him from the fight. It had been some time since he fought strong opponents, so he was thrilled to find someone challenging that wasn't his fellow counterparts.

 _ **Shift!**_

"-!"

The man's eyes widened when the brunette disappeared from his sight. He caught his axe once it reached him and looked around for the boy. He was fast, having disappeared from his sight completely. He couldn't sense his aura either, showing the kid to be well trained in suppressing it.

 _ **Crack!**_

Then, the larger males instincts lit up with urgency. He looked down to see a large crack appear below his feet. But that wasn't what had him concerned. No, it was the fire that was starting to spew out from them, trying to free itself from its restraints.

 _ **FOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHHH!**_

The man jumped away, just before a torrent of flames shot up from where he was standing. His eyes widened further as he knew, if he was caught in that attack, he would have been burned alive. Every hair on his body stood straight up, some singed from the intense heat.

 _ **Shift!**_

"No way!" The man shouted, his senses lighting up. He turned around to see Tatsumi behind him, a fist coated in the flames.

"You've lost," Tatsumi said.

The fist grew closer and the man had no time to react. He was on his back heel and the boy had gotten through his defenses. He hadn't expected the boy to utilize flames and his carelessness would cost him. He tried to lift his axes to defend against the attack.

"Enough!" Came a strong voice.

Immediately, Tatsumi ceased his attack. He and his opponent adjusted themselves and landed with ease. They stared at each other for a moment, neither having a clear emotion. But soon, a toothy grin spread across both their faces.

"Daidara, how would you grade Tatsumi?"

The man standing next to the boy cracked a feral grin. "He's definitely someone I can gain levels off of. I highly approve."

Daidara was a man of large muscular build with long, spiky blond hair and pure white, pupil-less eyes. He wore a headdress similar to horns and had long fangs to match. His outfit consisted of a black trench coat with black crosses on both cuffs of the sleeves. Under that he wore a white dress shirt and a black tie around his neck. With it, he also wore black pants and matching boots.

The other man nodded his head in approval. "Yes, I would agree. I can see why Lady Esdeath is high on him."

This man was Liver. He was a tall and much older man, having gray hairs that were worn in a long ponytail. He also had blue eyes and a mustache to match. His uniform was just like Daidara's but the trench coat was buttoned closed.

"Hm, he's an interesting edition. Maybe I can play with him too~," came another voice.

Crouched next to Liver was a young boy. He was of a small build with blonde hair and golden eyes. He had a feline-like look, his teeth sharp, and his pupils slit. He wore the same uniform as the other two, with the exception of wearing shorts instead of pants. He also had horn accessories, like Daidara, but also had a demon-like tail swishing behind him from side to side.

"You'll have time for that later, Nyau. We must report to Lady Esdeath as we near the capital," Liver informed, spinning on his heel and walking away.

"Yeah yeah..." Nyau replied, standing to follow.

Tatsumi started to follow as well, Daidara by his side.

"That fight was awesome," the large man said. He was still brimming with excitement from it.

"I agree. I haven't been able to spar with someone in some time, so I hope it wasn't too intense," Tatsumi replied while smiling.

"Nonsense! I love the intensity! The harder it gets, the more experience I gain!" Daidara shouted happily. Tatsumi chuckled at that and shook his head.

"You guys are quite the unique bunch," he chided.

"Heh, guess you could say that. It's why we are Lady Esdeath's bodyguards. We're the best of the best!" To heighten his point, the blonde flexed his arm and patted the bicep with his free hand.

"I see. And does everyone call her 'Lady Esdeath'?" The boy asked.

"Well yeah. Haven't you?" The man arched an eyebrow in confusion.

"No, I've just called her Esdeath."

"What!?"

"What!? What is it!?" Tatsumi asked, panicked by the man's shout.

"You mean to tell me, you call her that...and you aren't an icicle on the side of the road!?" Daidara exclaimed.

"Uh...I guess? Why is it so bad just calling her Esdeath?" The brunette was genuinely confused.

"To put it in simple terms, the last guy who spoke to Lady Esdeath informally was skinned alive before she flash froze his body. Rumor has it, dude's still alive in the ice and you can see his eyes moving around."

"That's...quite disturbing. I've been speaking with her casually since we left the North. Why haven't I been punished?"

Daidara put a fist to his chin, covering his mouth in the process. It was an odd sight to see the brute in such a deep thought. Tatsumi knew he just met him but the blonde did not look like a thinker. The boy swore he could hear the gears turning in the older male's head and see black smoke coming out of his ears.

"Maybe it's because you're special," he finally answered. "She didn't kill you after the battle and has treated you well, from what I'm seeing. But it's something you would have to ask her to get a definite answer."

Tatsumi blinked a few times, surprised by the man's deduction skills. Maybe he wasn't all bronze after all. That would make him quite dangerous if he utilized his head in battle. But it seemed the thrill of a fight would always take over. Oh well, he had a moment.

"I'll be sure to when we can speak privately," Tatsumi replied, turning his attention forward as they walked through the camp.

The three Tatsumi had come to know were known as the Three Beasts. Esdeath's bodyguards, like she needed them, and some of the most powerful soldiers the Empire had to offer. They only answered to Esdeath and made it known they'd cut down anyone who stood in her way.

The trio had apparently been left behind a bit longer to assure that none of the other villages would rebel. After the soldiers of Esdeath's army had been spread to cover the North they were left to kill the heads of the villages and burn the armories Numa had across the country. After that, they were to return to the General's side before they reached the Empire. All of which they did with a few days to spare.

It wasn't until today that they finally met Tatsumi. And all agreed that a light spar would properly introduce themselves to the newest addition. But now, unfortunately, it would appear that the blunette general would require them. So, the other duels would have to be postponed.

 _ **Flip!**_

The four men entered the large tent that was the General's quarters. Esdeath heard the opening of her tent and rose her head from her reading. She smiled at the sight of the group and placed the parchment down.

"Good, you're all here."

"Yes, my Lady. As you've ordered." Liver had spoke as the beasts knelt down in a respectful bow to their leader. Tatsumi simply watched from the corner he placed himself in.

"Good. The reason I've called you here is to inform you of a letter sent by the Empire," she started, lifting the parchment for all of them to see.

"What does it say, my Lady?" Liver asked, lifting his head. As did the other two.

"To put it simply, there has been a string of murders throughout the capital," she answered.

"Murders?" The gray haired male repeated.

"Yes. Apparently by an organisation under the name Night Raid."

"Is there any information on who they might be?"

"Honest is sure they work for the Revolutionary Army. There are also wanted posters of a few of them, but past that, he doesn't say."

"What would you have us do, Lady Esdeath?" Liver asked.

Esdeath smirked slightly as she leaned back into her chair. "For now, we are to immediately report to the Emperor upon arrival. Until we receive orders, we simply wait it out."

"Understood."

"Good. Now, go make preparations for our departure. I wish to reach the capital by the late afternoon. And I wish to speak to Tatsumi," she ordered with the wave of a hand.

The Three Beasts stood and bowed. Liver was the first to turn and walk out, followed by Nyau and Daidara. The small boy gave him a wink and the larger male gave him a toothy grin. Tatsumi nodded his head before turning his attention back to the general.

Once they were alone, Esdeath rose from her seat. "Tatsumi, I have a question for you. More so a request, if you will."

"Hm... You don't sound as if its a request, Esdeath," he replied, folding his arms. Her tone didn't carry any room for denial. It was more of her highly recommending him to accept whatever it was. Or there would be a bit of backlash. But all the while, still voicing it as if he had a choice.

The blunette smirked in return. "You'd be correct. After witnessing your powers and capabilities, I can't exactly let you go."

This made the brunette smirk as well. "And if I still decline?"

 _ **Shink!**_

In the blink of an eye, Tatsumi had a sharp pillar of ice placed just before his neck. He didn't move from it but inside he was frantic. He barely saw the attack coming. Such incredible speed without her having to do any sort of movement. If she wanted to, he'd have been dead then and there. He was still caught in awe at the power of the Empire's Strongest.

Esdeath stepped from around her desk, walking towards Tatsumi. "You see, Tatsumi, I am going to be forward with you. We need power like yours, its something I haven't seen in anyone within the Empire. A Teigu like yours...its very rare."

"Oh? If I remember correctly, you said our Teigu were very similar. Wouldn't that make me similar to you?" He asked.

Her smirk grew to that trademark toothy grin. "It would in fact. But to truly not know of my Teigu, you have to come from a place of the farthest reaches of the country."

Tatsumi shrugged his shoulders. "My village was on the far outskirts. I might as well have been a hermit under a rock."

"And yet you knew of Prince Numa and his lack of activity in helping villages like yours."

"Even those of the slum can tell a dictator from a ruler. He was definitely the former and I had to deal with him," Tatsumi replied with an ice cold bite in his tone.

Esdeath couldn't help the grin trying to split her face in half. He truly reminded her of herself when she was his age. "Yes, killing his men during that battle-"

"Those were accidents. Not all of his men were bad. But they lacked any form of training and discipline," he replied, leveling a glare at the older woman.

"And you do not?"

"I spent years hunting Danger Beasts. They aren't humans but some share very similar traits," Tatsumi replied, folding his arms.

"Even so, survival tactics and actual military training are two very different things. Hunting Danger Beasts and fighting an actual war create two different experiences."

"In some cases. But there are some Danger Beasts who have the advantage man does not. And they utilize them to turn humans into target practice or a buffet. A group of ice dragons decided to test my village when teaching their young."

"This sounds like an interesting story. Knowing ice dragons, they are aggressively territorial. Training their young, they must have been extremely aggressive in the attack," Esdeath replied, a fist under her chin.

Tatsumi nodded. "Correct. My village had little warriors so they presumed us an easy target to expand their territory into."

"Yet you lived, so the dragons turned out to be weaker than you," Esdeath stated. "A fitting lesson to take to the grave."

"Haha." The brunette's laugh was lifeless which caught the general's immediate attention. "You'd think so, right? A baby, no older than a few months, got a lucky shot in on me. It drove an icicle through my chest, plunging directly into my heart."

The woman's eyes widened ever so slightly. It went unnoticed by the boy. "That would have killed you. So how are you..."

"My Teigu," he answered. Looking back, he could see the confusion on her face. It was hard to see through her mask but it was there in her eyes. "My Teigu is very unique because it can't be passed down or used by another. Once I die, it dies with me."

Esdeath showed no reaction to the reveal but inside, she was brimming with excitement. She studied all types of Teigu but a rare few couldn't be passed down to another user. Hers was the only one she knew of until today.

"You see, a witch doctor lived in my village. He never came out of his tent, only called people in. The elders, and even that was a rarity." The teen's eyes narrowed as he remembered that fateful day. "After I killed the dragons, and I laid dying, he came out of his tent. In his hand, he carried a jar. Inside that jar..."

Esdeath tensed with anticipation. She was finding it hard to contain herself but kept a strong facade of monotone.

"...was a Danger Beasts heart."

The general's eyes widened. He didn't have to finish, she knew what happened. The doctor had replaced his heart with a Danger Beasts. And this revelation only opened up so many more questions for her.

"How..can that be..?"

"I don't know much of it. How it was obtained, what the beast use to be, nothing that could be beneficial information."

"And he gave such a thing to you?"

Tatsumi nodded. "Yes. I was awake during the entire surgical process. It was extremely painful. To watch your own heart taken out and a new one placed in. Any normal man would have died but..his methods were unorthodox and kept me alive." Tatsumi gained a distant look as his fists tightened. "The look in his eyes, it was as if everything had been leading him to that moment. As if saving me was some kind of final purpose for him. Once the whole ordeal was over, he look like he accepted everything in his life. As if he reached his end."

"Hm. Quite a strange old man."

"I agree. But he saved my life, so I will not speak much ill of him."

"Did he speak to you?"

"Yes. He said that I would become 'a devil of angel's cloth'." Tatsumi spoke with uncertainty. He had been confused when the old man told him that. And to this day, he still was unsure of what he meant.

"Mysterious choice of words. A possible clue as to what the beast may have been?"

"It's possible. But I know of no such beast that reminds me of that," Tatsumi answered with closed eyes. "None of the elders had heard such a saying for any Danger Beast before, either."

"The Empire does have a library. There are multiple books that have Danger Beasts in them, all of which were recorded by the first emperor, who created the original Teigu."

Tatsumi couldn't help but smirk at her offer. "Still trying to win me over to your side, hm?"

Esdeath gave a toothy grin. "Like I said, you're too valuable an asset to just let walk away. I want you as mine, Tatsumi."

 _ **Thump!**_

 _ **Thump!**_

"Y-You say that as if you mean more than a soldier..." The brunette commented, trying to calm the blush on his face.

"Well, allow me to clarify, Tatsumi. You see, I haven't been myself since leaving the North..." The blush intensified on the general's face. Tatsumi's eyes narrowed.

"I can tell. You haven't displayed much of the cold-hearted killer that Numa spoke about."

"Yes, well, I haven't had much need to. Nor have I wanted to since new feelings within me have started to come forth."

'This is starting to sound like some sort of romcom from those stories Pervy-sensei used to write between training...' Tatsumi couldn't help the thoughts. But his body was tingling and his heart was racing from the thought of where the conversation could be going.

"Tatsumi, you remember when I spoke of wanting to try and fall in love, right?" Esdeath leaned against her desk, her hands holding the edge of the wooden furniture with a tight grip.

"I remember..." He replied slowly.

"I had very specific criteria that were to be met in the man I wanted to fall in love with. All of which you displayed in yourself that very day."

"Me?" Tatsumi's eyes widened.

"Yes, you've shown the exact qualities of the man I'm looking for," Esdeath replied, lifting herself from the desk. She stepped forward towards the boy and placed a hand against his cheek. The brunette blushed, feeling the warmth from her hand. The smile that appeared on her face was also warm and the wild and sadistic looks she usually displayed were nowhere to be seen.

She looked beautiful to him. His instincts warned him of the power still radiating off of her. And he would be lying if he said it didn't add to her beauty.

"I...would say I have found an attraction to you as well, Esdeath."

The corners of her lips stretched farther as her smile widened. "Oh, is that so..?"

 _ **Flap!**_

"General Esdeath!"

A soldier stepped into the tent. He had walked in with confidence, pride, and dignity. But upon the moment the two pairs of eyes landed on him, all those things disappeared and fear and regret took their place.

Esdeath and Tatsumi looked back at him. The former had a look of unfiltered anger and agitation on her face. Her killing intent had just about exploded on the soldier. The mood was ruined and the only one to blame was the soldier before her who dared interrupt her from claiming the young brunette.

"This had better be important..." She stated with a dangerous tone. One which promised pain and endless torture if the soldier's answer didn't satisfy her. Death was too light a punishment for interfering with her and her true love during an intimate moment.

The soldier gulped very audibly. "W-We are ready to d-depart. If we leave now, we'll make it b-before the sun starts to set..."

The general stared at him for a long time, looking to glare a hole through his head. It was prolonged purposefully to make the soldier sweat. The fear on his face and panic in his eyes. The woman wanted to give him some kind of punishment for his foolishness.

It was a warning for others who would see this fear. Never interrupt her and Tatsumi's private conversations.

Finally, after a full minute of glaring, she eased up. "Alright. Prepare to leave. Have my wyvern ready and tell the Beasts to depart now. Dismissed."

"Yes ma'am!" And with great urgency, the soldier ran out the room to carry out the tasks.

Esdeath released a sigh, stepping away from the boy. She moved past him towards the exit, grabbing her cap from a hook by the door. After she placed it on top of her head, she looked back at him. Tatsumi had been quietly observing. Her interaction with the soldier left him with a raised brow and she silently cursed. Her actions towards the man had been poor judgement in terms of winning the boy over. She was very kind to her soldiers, but in that moment, she let her irritation slip directly in front of the boy she was trying to win over.

"I'm sorry for my actions, Tatsumi. It would also appear that our time together will have to be postponed," she apologized with a lowered head. It seemed she was truly upset by the recent events. Tatsumi could push it aside though. He was a little annoyed by the soldier's intervention as well and could understand, seeing as he did walk in on a private conversation between the two.

"Well, what would you have me do?" He asked.

Esdeath's eyes flickered wide for half a second and she looked up to the teen. "You mean you accept my request?"

"Wasn't it you who said I couldn't deny it," he shot back with a chuckle. This made the general smile again.

"I did. I just expected a little more hesitation or resistance," she replied honestly.

Tatsumi chuckled again. "Well, I don't want to hold a debt to you. Allowing me to take Numa's life and giving me the truth about my village, I'd say working under you would suffice. At least until this Night Raid is wiped out. Wouldn't you say?" He then smiled that gentle smile once more.

The blunette lowered her head as her cheeks grew warm. That smile again.

"Yes, I should say that would suffice," she answered, holding her professional tone, albeit a little more difficult.

 _'That should be more than enough time to make you completely mine, my dear Tatsumi.'_

-XOXOXOXOX-

"Gah, another book and still no hints..."

Tatsumi set the book down and leaned back in his chair. He shut his eyes, trying to think back. He tried to remember the look of the heart, anything the witch doctor may have said about the beast, words from the elders. Something that could give him an idea of where to look. Because searching through piles and piles of books was getting him nowhere. He didn't know where to look when he knew nothing of its name or origin. Dammit.

After Esdeath and the Three Beasts left, Tatsumi and the remainder of the army made their way to the city. It wasn't a long trip, possibly half a day at the most, and they arrived to a short welcoming from the capital's guards.

No one questioned the teen's entrance with the army. He was stopped at the gate for all of half a second before the leading officer came and reminded the guard of Esdeath's orders. The soldier looked close to pissing himself at the mention of the general and asked for forgiveness. Tatsumi ignored him and simply made his way into the city.

It seemed the Empire's Strongest carried weight throughout the entire city. Even soldiers out of her battalion were scared shitless of her.

The brunette wasted no time, once he entered the city, searching for the library the general spoke of. The captain of the platoon allowed him to explore, warning him to pay attention to when Esdeath summons him. So, with a quick set of directions, Tatsumi made his way to the capital's library and quickly immersed himself inside, hellbent to discover the Danger Beast behind his Teigu.

"Excuse me, sir, but its closing time."

Of course, he would now have to hold off on his research. He already had little time to work with but there was always tomorrow. He left a big dent and the librarian promised to hold his books until his return.

"Thank you. I'll be taking my leave then."

With that, he stood and made his way out. He released a sigh from the small defeat. He hadn't thought much about his Teigu until recently. Now, he couldn't help but think about it. Where it came from, the powers behind it that the Danger Beast held, and the potential he had from it.

Tatsumi walked out into the streets. He rubbed the back of his head, looking up to see that the sky had darkened and the lights among the streets were lit.

"Seems I spent too much time in there," he mumbled to himself. It seemed all that reading made time fly. He was lucky the general hadn't called for him.

Looking around, he couldn't help the lost feeling of being in a new place. There was no one around to help him and the more he tried to make sense of the more confusing the place got. Maybe he could find a guard who could take him to the barracks.

 _ **DOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNN**_

The boys thoughts were put on pause as an explosion rocked the area. Tatsumi turned to the direction of the sound to see smoke rising from behind a line of trees. He took a quick whiff of the air. His eyes narrowed. No normal person could create an explosion that massive without the smell of gunpowder.

Whatever it was, it was very dangerous just from the sheer shockwave of the attack. He could only imagine it as two options.

A rogue Danger Beast? No, they wouldn't get this far into the city. Could it be an attack from an enemy Teigu user? That was the only clear option.

 _ **BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM**_

Another attack. This one stronger than the first.

He had no time to think. Whatever it was, it was causing a serious problem. The guards wouldn't be able to handle it either, as they lacked Teigu users.

 _ **Whistle!**_

Tatsumi's eyes widened. The sound of a whistle. The guards back in the North used it to call for backup during his attack. It was probable to assume that meant the same here.

 _ **Crack!**_

The glass... And just when he thought he could relax for a bit.

 _ **Pmph!**_

 **Alright. To get to the big points.**

 **First and foremost is Tatsumi. After some thinking, I'm not plunging him into immediate insanity. Simply because I saw that DC movie Joker and i enjoyed the fact they slowly built him up to that breaking point rather than plunge head first from the start. So im going to take that and slowly turn him into the psycho he'll become at Esdeath's side.**

 **Next, Esdeath. For her, I'll hold those sadistic traits she possesses but I'll be tweaking her just a bit to create growth for her as well. Especially with where I'm taking her, she'll need more maturity.**

 **Third, Tatsumi's pairing. I've thought about it and decided I'll leave this part up to you guys. Would you rather Tatsumi just be with Esdeath. Or would you prefer a double with Esdeath and Seryu. No Night Raid women for..reasons. But Seryu. And your guys response will depend on how she's written.**

 **Fourth, Night Raid. To fill Tatsumi's place, who would you guys like to see? An OC, someone from canon whether it be his former friends or someone from the Army moved earlier in. Or just nobody. Let me know in the reviews.**

 **And last, Tatsumi's Teigu. Love it, hate it, I tried something newish. Its unknown, undiscovered, and has potential for something great. Its not overpowered, as you'll see in the fights, but with time Tatsumi will get considerably stronger. So look forward to it.**

 **With nothing else. I bid you all ado.**

 **Ciao~**


End file.
